


We were lost

by nxttime



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: (technically?), Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brainwashing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Impulsive writing, References to Torture, Severely without context, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 21:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18600127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nxttime/pseuds/nxttime
Summary: “I’m sorry,” Jason’s broken voice whispered past lips so chapped they were cracked and bleeding. “This’s my fault.”His brothers offered no response, but Jason hardly expected them to.





	We were lost

“I’m sorry,” Jason’s broken voice whispered past lips so chapped they were cracked and bleeding. “This’s my fault.”

His brothers offered no response, but Jason hardly expected them to.

The cuffs around his wrists were slick with his blood, same as the one around his neck, and the one locking his ankles together. Dick had bonds similar to his, as did Tim. Damian was the only one locked on the ground. Jason’s arms, Dick’s, and Tim’s, were over their heads fused to a chain, and their feet were barely supporting them on their tip-toes.

They’d been starved- deprived of water and sunlight; tortured, every day, after they returned.

And it was Jason’s fault.

“Idiot,” Damian mumbled loud enough for them to hear.

“Agree with D'mi,” Dick slurred. “Not y'fault, Jay.”

His lungs ached and screamed, so Jason couldn’t tell them that they were wrong- it was all his fault and _they_ were the idiots for denying it. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t be there, dying, alone, hungry and thirsty-

Tim hadn’t said anything.

Icy fear started trickling throughout Jason’s blood from his fingertips down, and he tried to move his head to see his little brother.

“T’m? Lil’ Bird?”

No response.

Panic made a home in Jason’s brain, and he started to move in the chains, Dick not much better off as he tugged at his own even though they’d both been physically and mentally drained of energy.

Their collars activated, then, and Jason couldn’t even scream before he blacked out.

…

Dick woke up with a massive headache, but he woke up. Light burned at his eyes when he opened them and forced him to close them again. The next time he tried cracking them open, slowly, to let them adjust to the harsh light, he realized he could hear voices whispering and murmuring around him.

It confused him.

Hadn’t he been with his brothers, still in the white room?

_My brothers._

Dick gasped, eyes snapping open wide, earlier concern for Tim now tripled for all his little brothers as he jerked upright (why was he laying down?).

The images his eyes were seeing were too much for his brain to process, so he focused on three things. His brothers. That was all he needed to pay attention to- they were his primary focus.

When he caught sight of Jason, then Tim, then Damian, he relaxed. They were okay, not even three feet away.

But wait. Those were bandages around Jason’s, Tim’s, and Damian’s wounds- and those were medical IVs, heart monitors, and Tim was wearing an oxygen mask like Jason was.

He blinked twice before slowly turning his head to see them.

The Justice League.

Bruce.

He hadn’t even opened his mouth before his father was pulling him close, body trembling as he did, and Dick sagged into the hold.

“Dad.” Dick’s voice was dry, and cracked, but he didn’t care. It was _Bruce_. They were home, on Earth, alive, and _safe._ _“Dad.”_

“I’m here, chum. I’m right here,” Bruce’s deep, _familiar,_ baritone soothed. “I’m right here.”

Someone cleared their throat but Dick raised his arm- why wasn’t his other one moving? Why couldn’t he feel it?- to clutch tightly to Bruce. Batman. Security. _Safety._

“Your brothers are stable, Nightwing. Red Hood and Red Robin needed serious surgery, but they’re going to be okay, albeit with a few more scars. Robin was best off of you four. He should wake up soon.”

Dick knew that voice, didn’t he? He felt that he should, but he… Wasn’t sure.

The voice continued.

“Your captors were of an alien species the Lanterns had to deal with, and Kyle Rayner, Hal Jordan, Jessica Cruz, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner send their apologies that they weren’t faster in finding you four.”

Kyle, Hal, Jessica, John, Guy… Dick should know those names, shouldn’t he? Green Lanterns. He should definitely know that.

His breath hitched because he _didn’t know, why didn’t he remember, it was just **gone** , what was going **on** -_

The heart monitor started screaming, and Dick jumped, but he wasn’t- what was going on- where were his brothers, he needed to protect them and keep them _safe-_ because he was the oldest and it was his job- but where were they- on an assignment? But nobody told them anything and-

“Out,” Bruce’s voice growled. “All of you.”

“I’m sorry, Batman, I was just trying to–”

“Out.”

Dick didn’t know, he didn’t- he didn’t _know._

“Jason,” he gasped. “Tim. Dami. I- I need- where’re they? M’s'posed t’–”

“Shh,” Bruce soothed, running his hand through Dick’s hair. “Shh, chum. It’s okay. They’re okay. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m right here, and I’m not leaving. It’s okay, Dick.”

Dick hiccuped before he started crying. Tears ran down his cheeks as he clutched Bruce tighter, squeezing his eyes shut.

Safe. They were safe. The word was one Dick barely knew, but it was one that he clung to with everything he had.

_Safe._


End file.
